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Amman – a brief overview

Affectionately dubbed ‘the Middle East for beginners’, easy-going Amman is one of the safest cities in the region and is home to some incredible Roman ruins. One of the oldest cities in the Middle East, Amman was old even before the ancient Greeks renamed it Philadelphia, although little of its past, beyond the Roman forum and amphitheatre, remains intact.

Nevertheless, behind the modern buildings, you can still find glimpses of the past, along with interesting galleries and an entertainingly bizarre museum dedicated to royal cars.

Jabal al-Qala'a

One of Amman’s most historic sites, the Citadel (Jabal al-Qala’a as it’s known to locals), is home to the Temple of Hercules which was begun in 161BC, as well as the domed eighth-century BC Al-Qasr palace.

Museum of Popular Traditions

Roman Theatre complex Al Hashimi Amman Jordan Show on map

Opening times: Sat-Thu 0800-1800 Fri 0900-1600

Guarded by a statue of a bejewelled Bedouin, the Museum of Popular Traditions is dedicated to the cultural history of Jordan and boasts a quirky selection of traditional costumes, face masks and jewellery.

Darat Al Funun

The former home of ‘Peak Pasha’ aka the commander of the Arab Legion, Captain Frederick Peak, this tranquil spot includes a beautiful garden and a gallery featuring the works of local artists.

Amman Archaeological Museum

Citadel Hill Amman Jordan Show on map

Opening times: Sat-Thu 0800-1800 Fri 0900-1600

Beginning with the Neolithic period and ending with the 15th century, Amman’s archaeological museum has an impressive selection of artefacts on display, including a bronze Dead Sea scroll and an 8,000-year-old plaster relief.

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Country information

Country overview

Most travellers visit Jordan with its history in mind and understandably so – Jordan is steeped in stories

from the distant past, with the majestic relics to prove it.

Geography

Jordan borders Israel (and the Palestinian National Authority Region), the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. At 400m (1,300ft) below sea level, the Dead Sea, in the northwest of Jordan, is the lowest point on earth and one of the country’s most distinctive features; the Red Sea, to which Jordan has a narrow access at Aqaba in the southwest, is teeming with life.

The River Jordan flows into the Dead Sea, and there are plans to build a canal – the Two Seas Canal (or the Dead-Red Canal) – that would link the Dead Sea to the Red Sea.

Capital Amman perches above the Dead Sea Depression, at a height of 800m (2,625ft), surrounded to the north by undulating hills, and by desert escarpments to the south, on which graze the sheep and goat herds of nomadic tribes.

Electricity

General business opening hours

Government office hours: Sun-Thurs 0800-1500. During the month of Ramadan, working hours are greatly reduced.

Public holidays

Listed below are the public holidays for the period January 2020 to December 2021.

Note

Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given below are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.

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Calendar of events

Dead Sea Ultra Marathon

Participants from around the world are invited to ‘Run to the Lowest Point on Earth’ in the annual Dead Sea Ultra Marathon (DSUM). The race begins and ends from opposite Amman Tourism Beach. It follows a course around the Dead Sea. The event includes separate categories: the 50 KM Ultra Marathon, the 21 KM Half Marathon and the 10 KM Race. Each year over 1,500 runners take part in this fun event usually representing about 50 different nationalities. Runners raise sponsorship money for charities.

Eid al Fitr

May 24, 2020

Venue: Throughout Jordan

Eid al Fitr is the feast held at the end of Ramadan, which celebrates the end of a month of fasting. Celebrated by Muslims worldwide, this is an opportunity for them to thank Allah for helping them practice self-control. Aside from special Religious services, families decorate their homes and eat their first daytime meal in a month.

Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts

July 19, 2020

Venue: Various venues around Jerash

Bringing Amman alive with music, folklore, art, singers, poetry, orchestras, theatre, crafts and ballet, the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts takes place across the city. Expect plays in the plazas, Jordanian performing stars and a host of hand-picked international entertainment.

Eid al Adha

July 31, 2020

Venue: Throughout Jordan

The Feast of Sacrifice follows Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage, and commemorates the trials of the Prophet Abraham. Many families slaughter a lamb, in remembrance of God’s intervention to provide Abraham with a lamb to sacrifice, in place of his son, Ishmael. Please note that most venues do not serve alcohol the first day of Eid, nor the night before.

All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.

7 days forecast

Climate & best time to visit Jordan

Jordan is a year-round destination. Even in high summer (June-August), Amman and most areas around the country are not excessively hot, chiefly due to the moderating influence of altitude – Amman stands around 850m (2800ft) above sea level. Similarly, Petra enjoys an elevated position – around 1,100m (3600ft) above sea level, so here, too, although days in summer can be hot, nights are often rather chilly. For Petra, as well as decent walking shoes – the only way in and out of the ruins is by a moderately testing walk over stony ground – also bring something warm for the evenings, even in summer. In winter, Petra can be very cold, with rain and even snow.

The Jordan Valley and the Red Sea coast around Aqaba is warm during winter (December-February) – a pleasant relief from the chill elsewhere – but extremely hot in summer (June-August). In the Eastern Desert, the winter can be bitterly cold and dry and the summer intensely hot. Some high-altitude areas, such as Ajloun, Dana and Petra, can receive snowfall in winter. Rain falls in many areas across the country on higher ground between October and March.

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Phone calls & Internet

Telephone/Mobile Telephone

Dialing code: +962

Telephone

Phone cards are available in most big cities and major tourist sites; cards can be purchased at numerous shops. International calls from hotels and post offices carry a three-minute minimum charge and calls made from hotels can be expensive. Internet cafes offer free or low-cost VOIP calling.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet

There are internet cafes throughout the country.

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Shopping in Amman

Key Areas

Balad in the city centre is the souvenir capital of Jordan with vendors both in and outside waiting to sell you bottles of coloured sand (definitely not worth buying) and Petra postcards. That said, it’s not hard to unearth a gem or two: it’s well worth haggling for traditional coffee sets. Elsewhere, Wakalat Street in Sweifieh is the place to go for international high-street brands, while Rainbow Street has a quirky selection of fashion and homeware boutiques, some more expensive than others.

Markets

Balad’s King Talal Street is always packed with vendors, while the huge weekly Abdali Market is the place to go for olive oil and other local produce.

Shopping Centres

TAJ Mall (Prince Hashem bin al-Hussein Street) is the newest and most upmarket, while City Mall (King Hussein Street) is the biggest and home to all the major international brands.

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Traveller etiquette

Social Conventions

Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Jordanians are proud of their Arab culture and hospitality is a matter of great importance. Visitors are made to feel very welcome and Jordanians are happy to act as hosts and guides, keen to inform tourists about their traditions and culture. Islam always plays an important role in society. Arabic coffee will often be served continuously during social occasions. To signal that no more is wanted, slightly tilt the cup when handing it back, otherwise it will be refilled.

If invited for dinner, a small gift is customarily given. Women are expected to dress modestly and beachwear must only be worn at private beaches or poolside.

Photography

It is polite to ask permission to take photographs of people and livestock; in some places photography is forbidden.

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Health

Food & Drink

Jordan’s tap water is safe to drink – it is heavily chlorinated, so may taste bad, but it will not do you harm. Nonetheless, if you can, it is advisable to stick to bottled water and pasteurised milk. Avoid dairy products made from unboiled milk. Be careful with food and water in rural areas: ensure meat and fish are well cooked and avoid raw vegetables and ready-peeled fruit.

Other Risks

Vaccination against tuberculosis and hepatitis B is sometimes recommended. Otherwise, the main health risks come from over-exposure to the sun: sunburn, sunstroke and dehydration are all real concerns. Take care to cover your skin – both to prevent skin damage and to limit dehydration.

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Visa & Immigration

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.